Lantern construction



July 4, 1961 E. J. GARLAND 2,991,349

LANTERN CONSTRUCTION Filed May 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EDWARD J. GARLAND zwigmwdf July 4, 1961 E. J. GARLAND 2,991,349

LANTERN CONSTRUCTION Filed. May 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZNVENTOR EDWARD J. GARLAND BY W United States Patent Electric Storage Battery Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 22, 1959, Ser. No. 815,002 7 Claims. (Cl. 240-10453) This invention relates to a lantern construction. More specifically, this invention relates to a lantern having a switch which is mounted simply within the lantern handle, said switch being supported therein by the lantern head lamp pivot pin. The switch is provided with a slidable actuating member including a spring-pressed ball contact-bridging member and has novel means for confining the movement of the actuating member.

In the prior art it has been customary to provide a sliding switch in lanterns. These switches of the prior art have been characterized by a rectangular housing having outwardly extending apertured ears which have been riveted in the wall of the lantern casing. Such switches have disadvantages in this use. Because of their shape switches of this type have not been especially adapted for use in curved wall tubular casings. Further, when installed they have taken up more room in the casing than is necessary and have required special mounting means, such as rivets mentioned above.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide in a tubular casing in a lantern or the like, a switch having a housing the structure of which adapts it to be fitted closely against the inside wall of the casing and to be supported by a single transversely extending pin such as the pivot pin in a swivel-headed hand lantern.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a slide switch of the springpressed-ball contact-bridging type in which novel means are used to confine the movement of the actuating member to a longitudinal rather than a lateral movement.

It is a further object of this invention to provide in a lantern a switch which is not susceptible to binding, yet which is simple and inexpensive in construction.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a lantern embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the lantern;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a switch housing embodying the invention;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a forward terminal of a switch embodying the invention;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a rear terminal;

FIG. 8 is a slightly reduced rear elevational view of a switch actuating means according to the invention;

FIG. 9 is a slightly reduced side elevational view of a switch actuating means according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a front terminal taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a switch base member according to the invention.

Briefly, in a hand lantern or the like having a tubular handle, the invention is an electric switch having a housing comprising a rectangular base member having a hood arching thereover. The switch housing is adapted to fit into the tubular casing with the arching hood disposed against and conforming to the curving wall of the tubular housing and supported with the base member Patented July 4, 1961 resting on a pin-like support member crossing inside the handle. Terminals are mounted on the upper face of the base member and are appropriately spaced. Within the housing and adapted to slide in a direction lengthwise thereto, are switch actuating members which have upstanding buttons extending through cutouts appropriately formed in the housing and the tubular handle. The actuating members have terminal-contact-bridging members mounted on the underside thereof and are adapted to bridge the terminal contacts when the actuating member is moved to a selected position.

A hand lantern embodying the invention is generally designated 10 in FIG. 1. It comprises a battery 12, and a battery-mounted platform 14 from the rear of which extends upward a supporting leg 16 and from the front of which extend upward a pair of parallel side by side arms 18. The leg and arms support a tubular casing or handle 20 which is secured by appropriate means to the leg and has its forward end apertured as do the upper ends of the arms. Providing attachment means for the arms to the handle is a pin-like member 22 (see FIG. 3). In the preferred embodiment, as shown, the pinlike member comprises a pair of oppositely directed headed rods, one of which 22:: is formed with a female threaded opening in its inner end and the other 22!) with a reduced threaded stud. The pin-like member also provides means for supporting the lantern head lamp 24, passing through apertures in the ears 26 extending rearwardly therefrom.

Supported against the top of the tubular casing or handle by the pin-like member 22 is an electric switch broad- 1y designated 28 in FIG. 5. It comprises a flat rectangular base member 30 of electric insulating material. Arching up from two opposite sides thereof is a hood or cover 32 which is of approximately semi-circular curvature and is adapted to conform closely to the inside of the tubular wall of the casing (see FIG. 3). The rectangular base member 30 is provided on its opposite sides witha plurality of notches 34 (see FIG. 11), and the opposite sides of the hood-shaped cover 32 are provided with a plurality of downwardly extending fingers 36 appropriately spaced to inter-fit the notches. In the preferred embodiment two end fingers on either side are folded sharply back against the undersurface of the rectangular base member 30 while the two intermediate fingers are deflected only slightly inward. In installation the two intermediate fingers on either side straddle the pin-like member 22 to prevent longitudinal movement of the switch 28 within the tubular casing.

On the upper face of the rectangular base member are mounted four terminals 38, 40, 42 and 44 (see FIG. 11) grouped in pairs. Each pair comprises two terminals spaced in a direction lengthwise of the housing as 38 and 40, and as 42 and 44. Each terminal comprises a channel-shaped member with its web grommeted fiat against the base member 30 and its flanges extending up wardly. In the preferred embodiment the forward terminals 38 and 42 (adjacent the front end of the casing) are slightly shorter than the rear terminals 40 and 44. Each terminal is formed with upwardly extending hemispherical contact 46 adjacent one end and the terminals are arranged so that the contact 46 on each terminal is on the end thereof adjacent the other terminal in the pair. (See FIG. 4.) The grommets which secure the terminals to the base member are electrically conductive and from their underside leads run to appropriate places in the lantern circuit. In a typical installation, a jumper 48 connects the two rear terminals. The rear terminals are then connected by leads to a battery post. The other two terminals 38 and 32 are connected to the various lights in the lantern.

Fitting within the switch housing and adapted to slide ice on the base member 30 in a direction lengthwise thereof are a pair of side-by-side actuating members 50 and 50. Each actuating member is formed with an approximately quarter-round body, the two actuating members facing in' opposite directions so that they together fill the approximately semicircular opening in the switch housing (see FIG. 3). The actuating members are of plastic and each has an upwardly extending button member 54 adjacent the top thereof projecting through appropriate slots in both the switch housing and the tubular casing or handle of the lantern. To prevent unnecessary friction or jamming each actuating member is formed on its inner vertical wall with a ridge 56 adjacent the lower end thereof, the ridges of the two actuating members being in sliding abutment. Also, adjacent the upper end of the curved wall of the actuating members are a pair of upwardly extending pimples 58 adapted to engage the housing and similarly a pair of outwardly extending pimples 60 are formed adjacent the lower end of the curved walls.

The lower face of each of the actuating members is formed with a longitudinal recess 62 the sidewalls of which engage the flanges of the terminals and thereby assist in keeping the actuating members in alignment. The upper wall of each longitudinal recess has an upwardly extending cylindrical cavity 64 or bore which extends up into the switch button (see FIG. 3). A metallic ball 66 is carried in the lower end of this cavity, and between the ball and the upper end of the cavity a spring 68 is held in compression, biasing the ball downwardly. In the preferred embodiment the ball is only slightly less in diameter than the cavity so that undesirable lateral movement of the ball is restricted.

In operation as the switch button is moved forward (see FIG. 4) the ball 66 will ride up over the hemispherical contact 46 on the terminal '40 and as the front surface of the switch button abuts the front of the slot in which the button moves, the ball will come to rest in bridging relation against the contacts on the two terminals 38 and 40, closing the switch.

It should be understood that if it is desired to control only one circuit by switch means, one of the actuators can merely be omitted from the assembly. The upwardly extending flanges on the terminals in cooperation with the longitudinal recess on the bottom face of the lone remaining member actuator is sufficient to prevent lateral movement thereof.

While this invention has been shown in but one form, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim:

1. An electric device having a tubular handle, a pinlike member extending transversely inside said handle, an electric switch in said tubular handle, said switch comprising a housing including a flat rectangular base member and a hood member arching over said base member and having two opposite sides connected to two opposite sides respectively of said base member, said base member supported on said pin-like member and said hood member engaging the inside surface of said tubular handle above said pin-like member.

2. An electric device as described in claim 1 wherein said hood has on each of the two sides connected to said base member a pair of spaced generally downwardly directed fingers, said fingers on each side of said hood member straddling said pin-like member.

3. A portable electric lantern having a tubular handle, said handle being aperturedfat opposite points adjacent one end thereof, said lantern having a head lamp with rearwardly extending earsattached thereto, said ears each having an aperture adjacent the distal end thereof, said apertures in said 'handle and said ears being aligned, a pin-like member extending through said aligned members whereby said head lamp and said handle are pivotally connected, an electric switch in said tubular handle, said switch comprising a housing including a flat rectangular base member and a hood member arching over said base member and having two opposite sides connected to two opposite sides respectively of said base member, said base member supported on said pin-like member and said hood memlber engaging the inside surface of said tubular handle above said pin-like member.

4. An electric switch comprising a rectangular base member having a hood member arching thereover and having two opposite sides attached to two opposite sides of said base member, said hood member having a cutout formed therein, said base member mounting on its upper face a plurality of spaced terminals, an actuating member disposed between said base member and said hood member and adapted to slide on said base member, said actuating member having an upstanding button projecting through the cutout in said hood member and having a conductive member on the bottom surface thereof for bridging contact between said terminals when said actuating member is moved to a selected position, the bottom surface of said actuating member having a recess therealong in a direction in which the actuating member is adapted to slide, and a flange extending upward from said base member to cooperate with said recess in restricting lateral motion of said actuating member with respect to said direction.

5. An electric switch as described in claim 4 wherein said flange comprises a channel-shaped member, the web of which is secured against the base member and the legs of which extend up to engage the opposite walls of the recess, said web having an upward detent therein which comprises a terminal.

6. An electric switch as described in claim 4 wherein an upper surface of said actuating member is formed with an outstanding approximately hemi-spherical projection engaging staid hood member to reduce friction between said actnating member and said hood member.

7. An electric switch as described in claim 4 wherein said arching hood member in transverse cross-section defines an arc of a circle, said actuating member in transverse cross-section occupying approximately one half of the circular segment under said arc, and wherein a second actuating member comprising a second electric switch is disposed between said base member and said hood member alongside said first-mentioned actuating member and is also adapted to slide on said base member, said second actuating member in transverse cross-section occupying approximately the other half of the circular segment under said arc.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,522,746 Prew Jan. 13, 1925 2,303,693 Hill Dec. 1, 1942 2,479,896 Batcheller Aug. 23, 1949 2,550,145 Geci Apr. 24, 1951 

